How to Reduce Bass Drum Noise
The bass drum is the bedrock of many styles of music. Any music designed to get people dancing will typically emphasize the bass drum. A solid bass drum sound is the pulse that guides the flow of the rest of the music. Sometimes the drum's sound is overbearing for the rest of the drum kit or ensemble. Other times the bass drum lacks crispness, and just comes across as noisy. In either situation, you will want to adjust the setup of your drum to create a tight and balanced sound.
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Things You'll Need
- Drum key
- Blanket
- Bass drum
- Bass drum pedal
- Adhesive pad
- Mouse pads (optional)
Instructions
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Use the drum key to remove one of the bass drumheads by turning counterclockwise on each of the lug screws.
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2
Place a folded blanket into the bass drum. This will absorb some of the vibrations as the sound transfers from the front head to the back.
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3
Reattach the drum head.
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4
Use the bass drum pedal on the drum to check the sound. If you want it more or less muted, put in either more or less padding accordingly.
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5
Tune both the front and back drumheads with the drum key. An out of tune drum has a flabby sound, so tuning the head properly will create a tighter kick and sound less noisy. See Resources to learn more about tuning drums.
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6
Add a firm adhesive tape to the surface of the drumhead where the batter head is contacted with the pedal. This can create a more solid place for the pedal to strike, thus making the sound more crisp.
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7
Add a second blanket or mouse pads underneath the bass drum if the vibrations are being sent strongly through the floor and creating noise in the floor or walls.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the sound from behind the drum set and also have a friend play while you stand out in the room to hear how it sounds from different places.
Resources
- Photo Credit drums image by agno_agnus from Fotolia.com
